GES Final Exam Questions and
Answers34
What is the difference between habitat and niche? - ANSWERS -Habitat is the environment
where an organism lives and niche describes the way it lives and role it plays in terms of trophic
level, feeding habit, how it moves around, migration, reproduction, etc.
The spatial distribution of terrestrial biomes on the earth's surface - ANSWERS -Is strongly
related to the spatial distribution of global climate types
Organisms that are capable of using CO2 as their sole source of carbon are - ANSWERS -primary
producers
What process is described by the chemical equation shown below?
C 6H 12O 6 + 6O 2 ⇒ 6 CO 2 + 6H 2O + energy - ANSWERS -Respiration
The rate of carbon fixation in living tissues per unit time after accounting for the amount used to
meet the plant's own metabolic needs is - ANSWERS -net primar productivity
In what terrestrial environment would you expect to find the highest annual net primary
productivity? - ANSWERS -tropical rainforest
Where would you expect to find the lowest biodiversity? - ANSWERS -arctic tundra
Why do surface waters in the middle of the ocean have such low primary productivity? -
ANSWERS -lack of availability of nutrients limits the rate of primary production
,As you climb from the base to the top of a high mountain in a tropical region, - ANSWERS -you
may encounter a sequence of biotic communities similar to what you would find if you traveled
from the equator to the polar latitudes on the earth's surface
What is the typical efficiency of conversion of energy stored in biomass at one trophic level to
energy stored in biomass at the next trophic level? - ANSWERS -10%
Which of the following is consistent with the definition of a system that we discussed in class? -
ANSWERS -Any set of things and their attributes that can grouped together within a boundary
that separates them from the surrounding environment
a computer with input and output devices, processor, and hard drive
the earth's atmosphere
Which of the following is a component or aspect of all systems? - ANSWERS -input and output
of energy and/or matter
storage
internal transformation
a boundary
Which of the following is NOT a true statement about systems? - ANSWERS -when output is
greater than input, storage will increase
,Which statement is true? - ANSWERS -In a closed system, there is no exchange across the
boundaries, i.e. no input or output
A system may be open with respect to energy and the same time may be closed with respect to
matter
Even if there is no input or output, either energy or matter may be changed from one form to
another by processes occurring within the system
The earth is generally considered an open system with respect to energy and a closed system
with respect to matter - ANSWERS -True
As your body temperature rises, you perspire more
As you perspire, water droplets appear on your skin
As the water droplets evaporate, they carry away heat energy, serving to cool you off in order to
maintain a stable body temperature - ANSWERS -Negative
What is consistent with the definition of "equilibrium"? (Choose all answers that you think are
correct. - ANSWERS -Correct a state of balance between opposing forces that keeps the system
in a steady-state condition
a tendency of a system to vary around a stable average condition even if it fluctuates up and
down a bit over time
What distinguishes a scientific concept from one that cannot be characterized as scientific? -
ANSWERS -a scientific concept is one for which we can identify a test capable of proving it
wrong
Which of these is NOT typically considered a step in the scientific method? - ANSWERS -drawing
a conclusion that an idea has proven true once and for all
, Which of the following "spheres" occurs at the intersection of the other three? - ANSWERS -
Biosphere
Earth's radius is closest to which of the following? - ANSWERS -6,400 kilometers
Why is water considered such an important part of the earth system? - ANSWERS -because 71%
of the surface is covered by water
because water is essential to most biological processes
because water can store enormous amounts of heat energy, carry energy from one latitude to
another, and release that energy back to the atmosphere
The total relief of the earth's surface is great enough that if you were to shrink the earth down
to the size of a billiard ball, the surface would be rough and bumpy. - ANSWERS -False
The imaginary straight line that runs through the center of the earth, and around which the
earth rotates is called the: - ANSWERS -Axis
An east-west circle on the Earth's surface that lies in a plane defined by angular distance from
the equator is a: - ANSWERS -Parallel
The angular distance along a meridian between the equator and a given point on the globe is
the _______ of that point. - ANSWERS -Latitude
The angular distance along a parallel between the prime meridian and a given point on the
globe is the _______ of that point. - ANSWERS -Longitude
Answers34
What is the difference between habitat and niche? - ANSWERS -Habitat is the environment
where an organism lives and niche describes the way it lives and role it plays in terms of trophic
level, feeding habit, how it moves around, migration, reproduction, etc.
The spatial distribution of terrestrial biomes on the earth's surface - ANSWERS -Is strongly
related to the spatial distribution of global climate types
Organisms that are capable of using CO2 as their sole source of carbon are - ANSWERS -primary
producers
What process is described by the chemical equation shown below?
C 6H 12O 6 + 6O 2 ⇒ 6 CO 2 + 6H 2O + energy - ANSWERS -Respiration
The rate of carbon fixation in living tissues per unit time after accounting for the amount used to
meet the plant's own metabolic needs is - ANSWERS -net primar productivity
In what terrestrial environment would you expect to find the highest annual net primary
productivity? - ANSWERS -tropical rainforest
Where would you expect to find the lowest biodiversity? - ANSWERS -arctic tundra
Why do surface waters in the middle of the ocean have such low primary productivity? -
ANSWERS -lack of availability of nutrients limits the rate of primary production
,As you climb from the base to the top of a high mountain in a tropical region, - ANSWERS -you
may encounter a sequence of biotic communities similar to what you would find if you traveled
from the equator to the polar latitudes on the earth's surface
What is the typical efficiency of conversion of energy stored in biomass at one trophic level to
energy stored in biomass at the next trophic level? - ANSWERS -10%
Which of the following is consistent with the definition of a system that we discussed in class? -
ANSWERS -Any set of things and their attributes that can grouped together within a boundary
that separates them from the surrounding environment
a computer with input and output devices, processor, and hard drive
the earth's atmosphere
Which of the following is a component or aspect of all systems? - ANSWERS -input and output
of energy and/or matter
storage
internal transformation
a boundary
Which of the following is NOT a true statement about systems? - ANSWERS -when output is
greater than input, storage will increase
,Which statement is true? - ANSWERS -In a closed system, there is no exchange across the
boundaries, i.e. no input or output
A system may be open with respect to energy and the same time may be closed with respect to
matter
Even if there is no input or output, either energy or matter may be changed from one form to
another by processes occurring within the system
The earth is generally considered an open system with respect to energy and a closed system
with respect to matter - ANSWERS -True
As your body temperature rises, you perspire more
As you perspire, water droplets appear on your skin
As the water droplets evaporate, they carry away heat energy, serving to cool you off in order to
maintain a stable body temperature - ANSWERS -Negative
What is consistent with the definition of "equilibrium"? (Choose all answers that you think are
correct. - ANSWERS -Correct a state of balance between opposing forces that keeps the system
in a steady-state condition
a tendency of a system to vary around a stable average condition even if it fluctuates up and
down a bit over time
What distinguishes a scientific concept from one that cannot be characterized as scientific? -
ANSWERS -a scientific concept is one for which we can identify a test capable of proving it
wrong
Which of these is NOT typically considered a step in the scientific method? - ANSWERS -drawing
a conclusion that an idea has proven true once and for all
, Which of the following "spheres" occurs at the intersection of the other three? - ANSWERS -
Biosphere
Earth's radius is closest to which of the following? - ANSWERS -6,400 kilometers
Why is water considered such an important part of the earth system? - ANSWERS -because 71%
of the surface is covered by water
because water is essential to most biological processes
because water can store enormous amounts of heat energy, carry energy from one latitude to
another, and release that energy back to the atmosphere
The total relief of the earth's surface is great enough that if you were to shrink the earth down
to the size of a billiard ball, the surface would be rough and bumpy. - ANSWERS -False
The imaginary straight line that runs through the center of the earth, and around which the
earth rotates is called the: - ANSWERS -Axis
An east-west circle on the Earth's surface that lies in a plane defined by angular distance from
the equator is a: - ANSWERS -Parallel
The angular distance along a meridian between the equator and a given point on the globe is
the _______ of that point. - ANSWERS -Latitude
The angular distance along a parallel between the prime meridian and a given point on the
globe is the _______ of that point. - ANSWERS -Longitude
